How to accelerate the UK energy transition

Nearly a third (29%) of energy companies say we do not have the green skills to deliver net zero.

To secure the green skills to deliver net zero we need public and private sector collaboration and a strong national workforce strategy. We also need to protect and transition talent from high-carbon industries successfully.

This could be done through:

• Better coordination of government incentives to ensure the low carbon energy sector attracts, reskills and upskills talent from other sectors
• All levels of the education and vocational systems to focus on developing the future technical and non-technical skills that businesses need. 

15% of respondents feel strongly that the UK's energy policies support their net zero ambitions.

Over half of respondents want a stable and well-communicated energy policy and clear industrial strategy with achievable targets.

This could be done through:

• More direct government funding in clean energy infrastructure, focusing on energy efficiency and executing planning reforms
• Providing financial incentives to attract supply chain investment.
  

A third of business energy consumers and energy companies say we do not have the supply chain to deliver net zero.

We need robust supply chains to build low carbon energy infrastructure and deliver decarbonisation plans and these are not there yet.

This could be done through:

• Mapping out the supply chains needed to deliver national low carbon energy ambitions, identifying the gaps and building pathways to close the gaps
• Government intervention in some supply chain segments and private sector focus on new ways of working.
  

Nearly a quarter of energy companies and business energy consumers say their customers do not demand low carbon products.

There is a need to make sustainable products and services affordable as well as stimulate and scale demand for low carbon products. This could be done through:

• Supporting businesses to invest in energy efficiency, and electricity self-generation and storage
• Implementing appropriate carbon pricing mechanisms to make high-carbon options less attractive
• Increasing digitalisation of the energy sector and delivering awareness campaigns about long-term benefits of decarbonisation.
  

Around 60% of respondents are confident that the UK will be net zero by 2050 but many are not confident in some of the interim targets.

Growing green skills, progressing policy mechanisms, strengthening supply chains, evolving energy independence and improving demand for low carbon technologies will be crucial to improve confidence in delivering net zero.